1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a transmission apparatus, and more particularly to a transmission apparatus with multiple channels between various inputs and outputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
In early days, bicycles were just an economic vehicle for workers and students, until nowadays motorcycles and automobiles gradually replace bicycles and become the main transportation. Recent years, more and more people become aware of a lack of energy supply, and that cycling has an advantage of helping to reduce the production of carbon dioxide. Now bicycles are a popular transportation in many cities.
As a transportation tool to school or work, bicycles should help riders to arrive at the destinations in a faster and easier way. For reaching this goal, bicycles are equipped with a transmission system with which riders may shift to a low gear when riding from a stop point or riding uphill; and shift to a high gear when riding downhill. When bicycle is switched to a lower gear, rider needs less strength to cycle but the bicycle goes slowly. On the contrary, when bicycle is switched to high gear, it may speed up the bicycle but rider has to exert greater strength while cycling.
Years ago, a power bike, which is equipped with a battery and a motor, was presented in the market. Such bike may function like a normal bike, driven by the rider, but the battery and motor may also take over and drive the bike moving when necessary. Such power bike in the market is huge and heavy because of the battery and motor, and when the battery is dead, to ride such bicycle a rider has to exert much greater strength than they do to an ordinary bike.
The present inventor has also invented a bicycle with auxiliary power system (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,208), wherein power produced from the vibration during biking is stored in a spring of a power storage device, and be released when necessary to help bicycle moving forwards. After the invention of a bicycle with auxiliary power system, the present inventor also invented a device (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/697,552), with which power is transmitted and stored in a power storage device by turning the cranks reversely. In order to make these two ways of storing power cooperate on one bike, the bike has to be equipped with a new transmission apparatus.